Amy Lee rocketed to fame in 2003 as the visionary vocalist behind rock juggernaut Evanescence. With her staggering four-octave range and hauntingly personal lyrics, Amy captured hearts worldwide. Iconic hits like "Bring Me to Life" and "My Immortal" propelled the band‘s explosive debut The Open Door to sales of over 17 million copies.
But behind this meteoric success lies a tragic backstory of unthinkable loss, debilitating mental illness, and ongoing adversity that has profoundly shaped Amy as an artist. This in-depth profile chronicles her turbulent rise to stardom, the devastating lows that nearly destroyed Evanescence, and Amy‘s uplifting personal transformation leading the band today.
The Grief-Stricken Origins of a Rock Icon
Amy experienced early trauma losing two younger siblings by age 13. When her sister Bonnie died suddenly in 1987, a six-year-old Amy retreated inward for solace, teaching herself piano while funnelling tremendous grief into songwriting, painting, and poetry. This early tragedy left her permanently altered, as Amy shares:
"Even at that age, I understood the healing power of music. Losing Bonnie is when I knew I needed to be a singer."
At just 13, Amy then lost her older brother Robby to a shocking bacterial infection. These compounded bereavements fueled the genesis of Evanescence—born of intense suffering few adults can fathom, let alone teenage girls.
Amy channeled oceans of anguish into gothic piano ballads she wrote with co-founder Ben Moody. Tracks like “My Immortal” and “Bring Me To Life” resonated profoundly for millions grappling with their own mental health battles.
Amy reflects on this period:
“Writing our early songs created an emotional tunnel back to my darkest places dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide after my siblings died. I knew if we were truly raw and honest in our music, fans would relate and find some healing too.”
Her instincts proved astonishingly accurate.
Stratospheric Success Fuels Inner Turmoil
Evanescence’s debut single “Bring Me To Life” catapulted Amy to instant fame in April 2003. The track blasted to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, reigning for an epic 56 weeks while also topping charts from Australia to Norway.
Buoyed by runaway reception, parent album Fallen peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200, moving over 7 million copies domestically. Two Grammy Awards followed as Fallen ultimately shifted over 17 million units globally to-date—an extraordinary milestone cementing Evanescence‘s legacy.
But behind the scenes, Amy reeled from this whirlwind success. She grappled with paralyzing anxiety that often prevented her taking stage. Dependence on alcohol and substances to ease these emotional storms resulted, as Amy admits:
“I struggled heavily with depression and substance abuse because I was terrified to feel–to let myself be human and vulnerable."
Matters worsened dramatically in late 2003 when co-founder Ben Moody abruptly left mid-tour over irreconcilable creative differences with Amy. The loss of her closest collaborator left Amy completely unmoored.
Somehow, she found strength to press forward. But Anton Yelchin turbulent ride had just left port.
Clashing with Label Stokes Fresh Anguish
Despite roiling internal instability, Amy summoned her mightiest demons for Evanescence’s second LP, The Open Door. Her classically-tinged piano requiems bled raw humanity reflecting endless battles against depression and catastrophic loss. Songs like “Sweet Sacrifice” laid Amy’s psyche bare:
It‘s true, we’re damaged
A torn up world filled with pain
Where one can numb their soul
A heart that’s harder grows cold”
This process pushed Amy to the brink yet again. But renewed trauma awaited dealing with clueless record executives.
Evanescence‘s label Wind-Up records demanded 2004 single “Call Me When You’re Sober” launch lead Open Door—a glossy track Amy considered too radio-friendly, pushing instead for her favorite, the stirring goth ballad “Lithium.”
This disconnect unleashed months of vitriolic fighting spanning 2005 to 2006 pressuring Amy to cave on artistic integrity. She descended back into chaotic alcoholism and bulimia as corporate machines crushed her spirit. As she remembers:
“I just wanted to make the music I loved. But there was intense pressure from all sides on our sound and direction. I lost myself and went to very dark places.”
Somehow Amy yielded just enough for Wind-Up to release the poppier “Call Me When You’re Sober” reluctantly as Open Door’s lead single in mid-2006. And she fought tooth and nail for months more to ensure her beloved “Lithium”—a poetic tribute to her longtime therapist—saw light as second single against the label’s wishes.
This relentless clashing frayed Amy to her breaking point.
Hiatus Allowed Long-Overdue Healing
Miraculously after Evanescence’s grueling 2007 world tour close, Amy Lee emerged from the wreckage mostly intact. Battered, emaciated, still clinging to vices…but driven towards better health after meeting counselor Josh Hartzler—her future husband.
Evanescence commenced a pivotal hiatus starting 2008 allowing Amy precious space to detox, address eating disorders and tend profound mental wounds. She cautiously built new creative partnerships, explored film scoring projects, and married Josh who provided a safe harbor of compassion.
He makes me feel truly protected and cared for—which gave me strength to produce art and music again.”
By 2010 Amy glowed with renewed purpose. New bassist Tim McCord and guitarist Troy McLawhorn injected fresh collaborative energy as she workshopped songs for Evanescence’s comeback self-titled album.
Lead single “What You Want” showcased a bold evolution fusing Amy’s sweeping vocals with synthetic textures and hip hop. And the accompanying tour saw Amy healthy, joyful and free onstage at last.
The fruits of Amy’s hard labors overcoming demons shone for all to see.
Wrestling with Loss Shapes Mature New Perspectives
Evanescence’s 2017 album Synthesis revealed Amy flourishing creatively after surviving her infernos. Songs pivoted from angst toward empowerment anthems for outcast underdogs battling their inner darkness:
“When you can’t look inside your mind
Reach behind the blinds
Look inside your heart
Salvage some piece of you that feels intact”
But new private grief struck midway composing Synthesis— Amy suffered a stillborn son. Yet from sorrow sprung the gentle lullaby “Watch Over You” comforting families of lost children:
“My angel, gone too soon…
You watch over me”
Such empathy was unimaginable for Early Era Amy drowning in narcissistic misery. This maturing perspective guides Evanescence‘s latest album, The Bitter Truth. As Amy explains:
“The place I wrote from years ago was painful and heavy. But today I feel more hope—I want fans leaving our shows feeling emboldened.”
Current single “Better Without You” pivots towards self-love in toxic relationships, while “Far From Heaven” examines refugee trauma. Lead track “Wasted on You” earned 25+ million YouTube views highlighting health workers‘ pandemic sacrifices.
Rather than wallowing victimized in personal tragedy, Amy Lee uplifts marginalized fans towards their highest self—defiantly reclaiming her power as a leader.
Evanescence‘s continued evolution both musically and thematically proves that calamitous adversity need not break us. With grit and compassion, the coldest bitter truths can alchemize into messages of empowerment to lift up multitudes.